Memories of a stranger, Chapter 6
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"We´re here.", Sean said. "I'll park the car, walk around the vehicle and you stay seated, okay?"
"Yes.", was all that Fiora answered. Her heart was racing and she felt nauseous. There was no turning back now.
"All will be fine.", he said, as he pulled the steering wheel to the right to park the car.
As soon as he had stopped the engine, he yanked open the driver's door, walked around the car and opened the passenger door. He grabbed her arm and pulled her outside. She stumbled against him and he grabbed her upper arm. He led her a few steps in front of him. Then he stopped and looked around. Fiora, too, eyed the surroundings anxiously. She wondered, if Woods was already there, if he was already watching them.
Sean walked beside her, putting one arm around her shoulders now and holding her arm with the other hand, as they continued walking. They approached a square with a fountain.
"Come on!", Sean urged her. She knew it was all for the show, but she felt awful. He suddenly pulled her to the left and again, she stumbled. "Stop here!"
They had reached the fountain now and he stopped. He placed himself behind her, burying one hand in the back of her sweater to hold her in place. "Don't make a sound, you know what happens, if you try something.", he threatened her while he looked around.
Fiora could not control her trembling by now and her gaze roamed over the surrounding trees. A little further away, she could make out two people walking along a path. These were probably Erin and Antonio. For Fiora's taste, the two were a little too far away.
Suddenly, a man stepped out of the twilight. Fiora turned her head in his direction. She felt as if she would faint any moment. Sean however, held her tightly in his grip. But then she realized that the man, that walked towards them, was not Woods...
/
Jay looked through the viewfinder of his gun and detected a movement among the trees. In the next moment he had located a man. He aimed at his head. Then he recognized the man and he hardly believed, who had shown up for the meeting. He pressed the button on his radio.
"Searge, this is Marc Campell, the driver of the van that caused the accident that led to Wood's escape.", he informed the others. "He's obviously involved in this as well."
"Roger that.", Voight answered. "Stay on hold. We're waiting to see, if Woods shows up as well. You're cleared to fire as soon as things get dicey. But the guy's got to stay interrogatable, you understand?"
„Roger that.", Jay replied and he refocused on what was happening.
"There's another person between the trees..." Al said now. He was also looking through the viewfinder of his Long gun.
"You keep an eye on that one, I´ve got Campell.", Jay said.
/
"Anderson?", the stranger called out, stopping a little further away.
"Where's Woods?", Sean asked. "I was supposed to meet him here, not you."
Woods' photos had been all over the media after his arrest back at the time. So Anderson would know what he looked like.
"Little change of plans," the other one said. "He sent me to pick up the bitch."
"That's not what we agreed on.", Sean countered. "I'm only going to deliver her to Woods personally."
"He said he's grateful. He'll send you an exclusive video, as soon as we´ve finished her.", the man replied.
"No.", Sean replied. "Tell him that he shall stick to his promise and let me be a part of it! Otherwise, I'll keep having my own fun with her!"
The man looked at him coldly, then his eyes wandered to Fiora. She felt that she could no longer breathe. She knew that kind of look in his eyes all too well... it resembled the look that Woods had given her many times back then.
"She's his. I thought that was clear. Give her to me.", the stranger now said, suddenly pulling out a gun. Fiora flinched, but Sean remained absolutely calm and continued to hold her. The stranger aimed at his head. "That wasn't a request."
"Our deal was different.", Sean tried again.
"That was not a request...", the man repeated threateningly as he now cocked the hammer of the gun.
Everything in Fiora tensed and she feared that at any moment, the guy would pull the trigger. She looked around fearfully and she realized that Erin and Antonio were already approaching the stranger from behind, with their guns drawn.
At that moment, she heard a whirring sound and a pop. The stranger doubled over and the gun fell from his hand. As he slumped, Sean yanked Fiora backwards, bringing her behind him, to safety.
Then he grabbed his own gun and rushed to the man, who by now lay groaning on the ground. With a shove with his foot, Sean kicked the wounded man's weapon out of reach, bent over him, placed a knee on his chest and held his own pistol in front of his face.
"Chicago Police!", he yelled. "Don't move."
Fiora just stood there, open-mouthed, staring in shock at the man, who was bleeding from wounds on the upper arm and his hip. He was still conscious.
Within the next instant, Erin and Antonio were with them and Voight was approaching as well. Erin rushed to Fiora, put an arm around her and led her a few steps away.
Voight and Antonio rushed to Sean's side to support him. They handcuffed the stranger, though he cried out in pain.
"It's over.", Erin said to her, as she moved her a little further away. Then she removed the handcuffs from her. "You did it."
She looked around. Where was Jay? He wasn't with the others. "Where is he?", she asked and Erin knew immediately who she meant.
"He's tracking another person with Al. They suspect it's Woods.", she told her. "Someone was hiding a little farther away and ran off. They could see it from the roof. Ruzek is off too, they'll get him. You did very well..."
"No... It was all for nothing..." she said, as tears welled up in her eyes. "Woods will escape again!"
"No. They'll get him.", Erin replied, nodding at her assuringly. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
She shook her head and looked over her shoulder. Voight, Sean and Antonio hoisted the injured man up and dragged him to one of the cars.
"Don't they call an ambulance?", she asked.
"He's going in the cage for questioning first. He doesn't appear to be badly hurt. Once he's talked, he'll get medical attention.", Erin explained. "Come on, let's go sit in my car."
Fiora followed her on wobbly legs, while a thousand thoughts flashed through her mind. She was completely exhausted and she couldn't even realize yet, that for the moment it was actually over. Erin led her to the passenger seat and she got in.
"We can listen to the others over the radio, so we´ll know when they catch Woods." Erin continued. "I'm going to drive you to the Station first. You can get some rest there. Okay?"
Fiora just nodded and buckled her seatbelt with shaking hands. Erin started the car and they drove off. After they left the street at the Arrigo Park, she turned onto South Loomis Street. As they passed Arthington Street, Fiora noticed a car in the corner of her eye. She turned her head and she realized, that the vehicle was speeding towards them at an incredible speed...
"Erin!", she screamed, but then the car already crashed against the driver's side.
Fiora was was slammed against the window and all went black...
/
Jay ran after the second person, who had left the scene. It was a man, dressed in black. He was white and about six feet tall. He was wearing a cap and Jay had not yet been able to make out, if it was Woods. The fugitive just turned around a corner and Jay followed him. Gun ahead, he first glanced around the side of the building, before he continued the pursuit down in the narrow alley.
Al had fallen behind, but Jay could still hear him and he knew the older man would catch up. The stranger had now reached the end of the alley and turned left, onto a larger street. Jay followed, making sure the man kept running before he too made his way onto the unprotected area. He saw the fugitive run towards an old, condemned building. Then he kicked in the boarded-up door to the house. Then he disappeared inside.
Jay ducked and hid behind some parked cars, as he continued to approach the building. He currently presented a good target for the fugitive, in case he tried to shoot at him from inside the building. He reached for the radio.
"5021 George, I am in pursuit of a fugitive on West Cullerton Street. Male, white, about six feet tall. I'm entering building 1748, where the person has gained entry."
"Copy, 5021 George.", Dispatch confirmed.
"I'll be right there,", he now heard Al's voice over the radio. "Ruzek is right behind us."
Jay watched the entrance for a moment longer, then decided to continue approaching the building. Stooping, he walked along the fence and then took the three steps, that led up to the old porch. He noticed that Al was catching up to him and he was relieved to have backup again. Through hand signals, he indicated to Al that he was going in and that the latter should cover him. Then, he slipped through the hole that the stranger had kicked in the door.
With his gun raised, he entered the hallway of the vacant building. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. All the windows had been boarded up and only little daylight enlighted the surroundings.
Al was now inside as well and he put a hand on his shoulder, as they worked their way forward together, searching the rooms for the stranger. If the guy was hiding somewhere in here, they would find him.
They had already made it a good distance into the house, when Jay noticed some movement further up, by the stairs. The guy was trying to escape to the upper floor.
"Police, freeze!", he shouted and took off running.
After a few steps he realized, that something was wrong... the floor seemed to move under him... He looked down and realized, that he had come to a stop on a piece of thin plywood.
Al closed in on him and Jay looked at him, startled. He wanted to warn him, but the floor already gave way and they both fell...
/
The fall didn't last long, but Jay's feet came down hard and he crashed onto his left arm. Immediately, a sharp pain shot through his entire side and he cried out in pain. Al landed next to him and also groaned in pain.
Jay tried to catch his breath and tried to stand up. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself up with his right hand so that he got into a sitting position. Shaking, he looked up and pointed the gun towards the hole, that now gaped above them. But the attacker seemed to be gone.
"Al, are you okay?", he groaned and he leaned towards his colleague.
"My leg...", Al pressed out in pain. "Son of a bitch! I think it's broken!"
"Anything else?", he asked through gritted teeth.
"Just the damn leg, I think..."
"Hey, you guys okay?", Ruzek appeared above them at the hole and looked down at them.
"Al needs an ambulance!", Jay shouted. "Get down!"
Adam disappeared from his view and Jay heard him call for the ambulance over the radio.
He slowly realized, that he had dislocated his shoulder. "Al, help is on the way.", he told his colleague, while he tried to breathe through the waves of pain.
Then Ruzek appeared at the end of the room.
"Shit...", the younger one said in shock, while he walked towards Al, where he crouched down beside him.
"Adam... I need your help, please.", Jay said. Ruzek came up to him and looked at him with concern. "I´ve got a dislocated shoulder. But I can't go to the hospital right now, I can't. Do you understand?"
"Halstead..." Al began.
"No! I'm begging you both,", he interrupted him. "don't tell Voight that I got hurt."
"Jay, man...", Ruzek also tried hesitantly.
Jay knew he was asking for a lot. Regulations said, that if he was injured, he couldn't continue to participate in the operation until he was taken care of. But he needed to know what Campell was going to say and how Fiora was doing. And he wouldn't be able to rest, until they´d finally caught Woods.
"Help me with the shoulder and I'll throw in some painkillers. I've done this before. Please, man... help me.", he looked up at Adam. "Do it now, before the ambulance arrives..."
The younger man was still hesitating, but then he agreed. "Okay, what do I have to do?" he asked.
"I'm going to lie on my back and you're going to take my wrist. You're going to pull at my arm until the joint pops back in.", Jay explained.
"Jay, this is going to hurt like hell. Don´t do it.", Al shook his head.
"Adam?", Jay's mind was set and he clenched his teeth, while he lay down flat. Ruzek leaned down and clasped his arm. That touch alone sent a sharp pain through Jays arm and he closed his eyes, as he took in a deep breath. "Pull tight...", he said. "Now!"
With a jerk, Adam pulled his arm up and put his own weight into the pull. The pain rolled over Jay like an avalanche. He cried out but then he felt the joint snap back into place.
Ruzek let go and Jay immediately pulled his arm in front of his torso, where he clutched it with his other hand. He rolled to his side and tried to catch his breath.
"Jay, say something! Did it work?", Ruzek asked. "The ambulance has just arrived..."
"Worked.", Jay answered curtly with suppressed pain in his voice. "Help me up." Ruzek walked towards him and Jay extended his uninjured hand to him. Adam pulled him to his feet. "Go to Al...", Jay then said.
The paramedics entered the room. Jay took a step back and leaned against the wall. He was shaking, nauseous with pain and felt dizzy. But this would pass. He would ask the paramedics for some Ibuprofen, as soon they had taken care of Al...
/
"You know that I'm a Detective with the Chicago Police Department!", was the first thing Fiora heard, when she came to.
She realized, that Erin was talking to someone. Fiora had a terrible headache and her whole body hurt. She tried to sit up, but then she realized that something was holding her back. She was lying on her side and her hands were tied behind her body. Her legs were also tied. Another rope was attached from her legs to the hands, so she couldn´t move. Immediately, adrenaline shot through her veins and she was wide awake within a second.
"Sweetheart, I don't give a shit what you are, if you're an Officer or a Detective. I have nothing to lose."
Fiora would recognize that voice among thousands... It belonged to Woods. She tried to move so she could see him, but everything was spinning. It took a moment, but then she scanned the room and finally realized, that Erin was sitting not far from her. She was leaning against a wall and Woods was standing right in front of her.
They were in a darkened, empty room. Probably a basement. The left side of Erin's face was covered in blood, apparently she had a severe laceration to her head. Woods had his back turned to Fiora and probably he hadn't noticed yet, that she was awake. Erin, on the other hand, looked at her briefly, but then focused back on Woods to hold his attention.
"You can still decide how this ends.", she said. "Whether you´ll spend the rest of your life in solitary confinement or if you still get to see the sun every now and then."
Woods laughed out humorlessly. "So, you think I'm going back to jail? I'll tell you something... I'm not going back. I'd rather die. And before that, I'll take some of you with me. So don't get your hopes up too high."
A large blade flashed in the semi-darkness and Woods bent down to Erin. She turned her head to the side and squeezed her eyes shut as he approached her face with the tip of the knife.
Fiora couldn't let him hurt Erin. It was her fault, that the Detective was trapped with her in this situation...
"Hey!", she shouted desperately at that moment, trying to stop Woods from his action.
He wheeled around and she looked at him, frightened. She tried to withstand his piercing gaze, while the fear inside her rose.
/
"How's Al?", Antonio asked as Jay and Ruzek returned to the Police Station.
"He's on the way to the hospital. Broken leg, but otherwise he seems to be fine.", Adam explained.
"And you guys are good?", he continued to ask.
"Everything's fine.", Jay lied.
His arm and shoulder still hurt, but the painkillers were working by now and were at least dulling the pain a bit. The paramedic had gave him two Ibuprofen, when he had asked for them. He´d said he had a headache. He kept his hand hidden in his jacket to have at least some support for the arm.
"Has Campell talked yet?", Ruzek asked.
"He's also one of the members at the Forum. Parker and he´d planned to free Woods during the transfer. He's had a clean record so far, so he had to come in for the Exchange, in case we´d show up there. Woods has paid him for doing it."
"Has he given up the location of Woods and Parker yet?", Jay asked.
"Voight and Atwater are working on it."
"Hey, where are Erin and Fiora?", Jay turned around and walked back into the office. "Are the in the Locker room?"
"They haven't shown up yet." Antonio replied, frowning. "Maybe Erin went to the hospital wither her?"
"Then she would´ve let us know." he answered. "Adam, would you go downstairs and-"
"No need for that, Halstead.", he heard Trudy Platt's voice behind him and he turned around.
The Sergeant looked anxiously at the three men. "I´ve just got a call. Erin's car has been involved in an accident. Two cars crashed into each other not far from Arrigo Park. The car was empty when the emergency personnel arrived. Tech has no idea of their whereabouts. Erin's cell phone is dead and Miss Hillsen's transmitter seems to be broken as well."
Jay felt like someone had punched him and his gaze went blank as he realized, that something had gone seriously wrong.
"That was a damn diversion!", he shouted angrily. "The second guy. The house. Woods took them!"
Antonio immediately went to the interrogation cells to inform Voight. Now they needed Campell to reveal Woods' whereabouts as fast as possible. Ruzek followed Antonio.
Jay stared at Seargent Platt.
"I´m sorry, Halstead,", the older woman said. "I'll go downstairs and ask around. Maybe a Patrol saw anything suspicious."
"Thanks.", he said absentmindedly.
He ran his hand over his face, then he went to his desk. He had more Ibuprofen in his drawer. He took the small box and with trembling fingers, he squeezed out another pill from the blister. Then, he slammed the drawer closed. He was so frustrated and angry! How could they have been so stupid? Fiora and Erin could be dead by now.
He went to the break room and turned on the tap. He quickly swallowed the third pill and then he also went to the interrogation cells, where he joined Antonio and Adam.
He would have loved to burst into the room to threaten the guy. But he couldn't piss Voight off any more. He had to keep a low profile.
The three of them stood behind the one-way mirror and waited, while Voight now changed his interrogation tactics and got violent towards Campbell...
/